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menial work

[/ˈmiːniəl wɜːrk/]
noun
trabalho servil
1. Low-status work that is considered unskilled, repetitive, or degrading, typically involving basic manual labor or domestic tasks.
Cleaning toilets is often considered menial work.
Limpar sanitários é frequentemente considerado trabalho servil.
2. Labor that requires little training or education and is performed for low wages.
He took on menial work to support his family while studying.
Ele assumiu trabalho servil para sustentar sua família enquanto estudava.
NYC Slang
grunt work
Synonyms
drudgeryunskilled labormanual laborlow-status workgrunt work
Antonyms
skilled workprofessional workexecutive workspecialized labor

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
trabalho servil
Most common usage across Brazil
Brazil
trabalho braçal
Emphasizes manual/physical nature of the work
Brazil
trabalho de baixo status
Emphasizes social status aspect
Portugal
trabalho servil
Standard Portuguese equivalent

Related Idioms & Phrases

below one's station
beneath someone
dirty work
work one's way up from the bottom
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